Photo Credit: Eyesplash – A summer of ups and downs via Compfight cc
Okay, perhaps there’s a better name for it, however this leader’s point is well made:
“I call it ‘The Mating Dance,’” he said. “It’s the strutting, the assessing, and the posturing that happens at the beginning of meetings. It’s almost as if people are thinking, ‘Before I engage I need to assess where I fit. Am I safe? Once I know, then I’ll engage.’
“All this dancing means we don’t have the trust we need yet. And we’re wasting precious time in our pursuit of solutions,” the leader finished.
How long does the dance last at the beginning of your meetings? Most importantly: What’s one thing you could do to shorten it?
It’s worth a discussion.
The way to short it, is being clear about the rules since the beginning of any meeting, and in can be spread as part of the organizational culture.
Ask the stakeholders don’t waste time.
Alfredo.
Alfredo – thanks for sharing your thought on how this relates to culture: wise! As stakeholders, we like to know that our time is being used wisely. Thanks for your leadership!
The Recipe for Partnership – since it focuses on what is working and also a strong meeting opener that asks forward focused questions regarding the topic at hand. Asking questions is one of the most powerful ways to break down barriers and engage others. Asking “what is it you would like to get out of our time together?” is a great way to understand the motivations and show that you value the team.
Julia – Thanks for noting how you leverage The Recipe for Partnership(SM) here! Yours is a great suggestion and perfect way to get more alignment (and less of “the dance”). Thank you for your smart contribution.
Meeting organizer can definitely model the desired behavior (Humility)! Showing the BIG R is very important.